BiologyCode 9700
Genetic technology applied to medicine
What this topic asks you to be able to do
- account for the benefits of employing recombinant human proteins in treating disease, taking as examples insulin, factor VIII and adenosine deaminase
- outline the benefits genetic screening brings, taking as examples breast cancer (BRCA1 and BRCA2), Huntington’s disease and cystic fibrosis
- outline how gene therapy can treat genetic diseases, with examples drawn from SCID (severe combined immunodeficiency) and inherited eye diseases
- discuss the ethical and social issues raised by the medical use of gene therapy and genetic screening